Learn how to make the best Baked Salmon recipe using a sheet pan or baked in foil, with several different salmon seasoning options.
Looking for more seafood recipes? Try my Easy Homemade Crab Cakes, Seared Scallops, or learn How to Cook Crab Legs!
Why I love this recipe:
Healthy – You can’t beat a fillet of perfectly cooked salmon next to a nice salad or roasted vegetables. It’s delicious and leaves you feeling full of energy!
Easy – Follow my step-by-step instructions and tips you won’t believe how easy perfectly cooked salmon can be!
Versatile – I have included three different seasoning options for you to choose from, and you can also choose to bake the salmon in foil or on a sheet pan.
How to Bake Salmon:
- Rest salmon. Set salmon on counter and allow it to rest for 20-30 minutes to come to room temperature. Pat with a paper towel.
- Sheet Pan or Aluminum foil: Lightly spray a sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray and place fillet on top, skin side down. Alternately, spray aluminum foil with non-stick cooking spray and place fillet on top, skin side down, and then place on a baking tray.
- Add seasonings. Choose from garlic-butter, lemon-dill, or cajun seasonings (see recipe card). If cooking in foil, fold tinfoil up and seal together to create a pouch, to seal in the juices while the salmon bakes.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for 12-15 minutes depending on thickness of salmon. For best results, test for doneness using a thermometer. Aim for no more than 140º F as the salmon will continue to cook after removing it from the oven. Or, use a fork to gently pull back on a section in the thickest part of the filet. The salmon should flake away easily and look opaque.
Do’s and Dont’s for Baked Salmon:
- DO Buy High Quality Salmon. There are several types of salmon, including: King salmon (Chinook), silver salmon (coho), pink salmon (humpback), red salmon (sockeye), and Atlantic salmon. Any of these types of salmon can taste delicious baked in the oven.
- DOCheck for Freshness.
- Salmon filet– if you are buying a salmon filet at the store, choose a filet with firm flesh. Give it a poke! Gently press the fillet with your finger and if it springs back, this is a good sign. If you’r fingerprint lingers in the fillet, choose a fresher fish. Also, look for a brightly orange-red hue in the fillet and nicely marbled skin. Look for darkening around the edges of the fish or brown/yellow discoloration in the flesh of the fish. These are NOT signs of freshness.
- Whole Salmon – First look in its eyes–no really! Take a look at the eyes of the salmon and choose a salmon with clear, bright eyes over cloudy, sunken eyes. Clear eyes is a good indicator of freshness. When you hold the fish, also look for the flesh to feel firm, not floppy.
- Smell the fish! This is a huge indicator of freshness! You want to avoid salmon that has a strong fishy smell. It should have a mild, salt-water or sea smell.
- DOThaw Salmon Properly.
- Fresh fish- After purchasing fresh fish, store it in the refrigerator until ready to use (it typically should be used within two days). Before baking, be sure to let the fish sit at on the counter until it comes to room temperature. This will allow it to cook more evenly.
- Frozen fish- to thaw frozen fish, either let it say in the refrigerator overnight or, for a quicker defrost, place it in a sealed bag under cold running water until thawed. It’s important not to use hot water or any type of heat to that your salmon! Allow it to come to room temperature before baking.
- DO Remove the Bones, If Needed. Before baking, gently run your fingers over the fillet of the fish to feel for ends of the bones that may be sticking out. If you notice bones, you can use needle-nose pliers to carefully remove them.
- DOSeason It, But Not Too Soon!
- Unlike beef and chicken where we love to apply a marinade for an hour or longer, with salmon, we don’t want to add the seasoning (particularly salt) too early. salt will may draw out to much moisture if left for an extended period of time. For best results, season salmon just before baking.
- In the recipe card you will notice I’ve provided 3 of my favorite salmon seasonings; Lemon and dill, garlic butter, and cajun seasoning.
- DON’T Rinse Salmon. Washing your raw fish is unnecessary, and may spread bacteria to your sink or other parts of your kitchen. Any bacteria that may reside on the fish will be killed when it’s cooked in the hot oven. Also, water can can break down the flesh of the salmon. Instead of rinsing with water, gently pat the salmon all over with a paper towel.
- DON’T Remove the Skin Before Baking. Most people prefer their salmon without the skin, however you should still leave the skin on your salmon until you’ve baked it. Always bake salmon with the skin side down as this will help protect the fillet from the heat of the pan and it will help the salmon retain its juices and cook evenly. When it’s time to serve the salmon, the skin will come off really easily as you slide a spatula between the fillet and the skin.
- DON’T Overcook. Possibly the worst thing you can do is over cook your salmon. Most restaurants serve salmon medium rare though some prefer it cooked a little longer. Ideally, remove salmon from the oven before it’s “done” as it will continue cooking while it rests. Cook time will vary as salmon fillets vary in thickness. If you have a thermometer, aim for about 140 degrees F (per USDA recommendations). You can also check for doneness by using a sharp knife and peeking inside the thickest part of the fillet. It should look opaque and the layers within the salmon should flake apart easily.
Recipe Variations:
- Garlic Butter – a mixture of garlic, butter, chicken broth, lemon juice, and honey.
- Lemon & Dill – a mixture of butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper
- Cajun Seasoning – I love McCormick’s Cajun seasoning!
- Baked Teriyaki Salmon – Pour some Teriyaki Sauce on top of the salmon before baking!
- Cedar Plank Salmon.
- Air Fryer Salmon: We love cooking Salmon in the air fryer, and Well Plated has an amazing recipe!
- Grill Salmon: if you want to learn How to Grill Salmon, Fit Foodie Finds has a great recipe.
Serve With:
- Roasted Vegetables or Hericot Verts
- Classic Wedge Salad or Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Perfect Mashed Potatoes
- Garlic Knots or the Best Homemade Rolls
- Fresh Fruit Salad
- On a Buddha Bowl
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Recipe
Baked Salmon
Learn how to make the best Baked Salmon recipe using a sheet pan or baked in foil, and seasoned with garlic butter, cajun seasoning, or dill.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2-2 lbs salmon fillets
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For Garlic Butter Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons butter , melted
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth , or dry white wine
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- fresh chopped parsley and lemon slices , for garnish, optional
For Cajun Seasoning:
- cajun seasoning
- olive oil
For Dill Seasoning:
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon dried dill weed (or ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped)
Instructions
- Rest salmon. Set salmon on counter and allow it to rest for 20-30 minutes to come to room temperature. Pat with a paper towel.
- Sheet Pan or Aluminum foil: Lightly spray a sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray and place fillet on top, skin side down. Alternately, spray a large piece of aluminum foil with non-stick cooking spray and place fillet on top, skin side down, and then place on a baking tray.
- Prepare Desired Seasonings, and spoon over fillet. For Garlic butter: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and lemon juice. Cook for 3-5 more minutes to reduce the sauce. Stir in honey. For Dill: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.For Cajun seasoning: spread olive oil over filet and sprinkle a thin, even layer of cajun seasoning all over the top of the fillet.
- If cooking in foil, lift up all four sides of the tinfoil and seal together to create a pouch, to seal in the juices while the salmon bakes.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for 12-15 minutes depending on thickness of salmon. For best results, test for doneness using a thermometer. Aim for no more than 140º F as the salmon will continue to cook after removing it from the oven. Or, use a fork to gently pull back on a section in the thickest part of the filet. The salmon should flake away easily and look opaque.
Notes
Side Dish Suggestions:
Nutrition
Calories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 23gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 118mgSodium: 240mgPotassium: 611mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 723IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg
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*I originally shared this recipe September 2013. Updated October 2019 and March 2022.
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This recipe was shot with my family, I will definitely use it again. I didn’t have fresh parsley so I used dried and also sprinkled a little dry dill, as well. I served with fresh asparagus, white rice, and rosemary bread.
I need all the help I can get with easy but different meals I live by myself
Entrusted our king salmon to this recipe, and turned out great! I made the lemon garlic sauce and added capers. I did cook for less time to get medium rare, about 8 minutes.
A great recipe to bring out the best flavors of salmon.
Instead of cajun seasoning I used some ground pepper plus fresh dill, still very tasty. Coho is still in season, the best salmon.
Tried the butter and garlic version of this recipe with fresh King Salmon from Alaska. The cooking times/temp. were spot on, but the flavor was rather bland. I will add more seasonings next time…
I made the dill sauce version. Fantastic. *Chef’s kiss
I love generously coating salmon filets with hoisin sauce before baking. It has become my go to recipe.
Thank You, very easy, N my hole family loved it !
I also used a cast-iron pan and bake at 400 with potatoes. It took a little longer but it’s delicious.
Hi! I used the lemon/butter recipe /honey and added a touch of heat…balanced the flavors and baked in a cast iron pan preheated, laying skin side down at 400° until the flaky
At 15 minutes my salmon was still raw. I dont think the timing is right. The dill sauce was pretty good!
Hi Dio as stated in the post above the cooking time will vary greatly depending on the thickness of the fillet.If you have a thermometer, aim for about 140 degrees F (per USDA recommendations). You can also check for doneness by using a sharp knife and peeking inside the thickest part of the fillet. It should look opaque and the layers within the salmon should flake apart easily.
What an opportunity to learn how to shop, prepare and cook salmon. Thank you for sharing!
It is a blessing!
I used the dill seasoning recipe however my dry dill was old, my salmon took longer to cook through {30 min) but everyone enjoyed it . I was pleased with the results.
I made the recipe with garlic- butter sauce. It came out so delicious. Want to try lemon-dill next time. Thank you for this easy, delicious recipe.
This is the very best recipe for sockeye salmon I have ever had. Thank you Sincerely Cecile
Excellent recipe! Excellent guidance. Made with the garlic butter as written, but in a casserole dish. Scrumptious.
Kinda busy recipe. Prefer olive oil, butter pads lemon slices and minced garlic. Covered ,400 degrees.
The garlic butter sauce was so easy and delicious!!
Another recipe using dill is to add a generous portion of dill to flour and water and knead into a dough.
I am not, a big salman fan, but I used dill, butter as you directed, loved it. I am a good cook, will add this to , my seafood notes, thanks!!
I had a 3.95 pound Atlantic salmon. I cooked it at 375* for 30 minutes put limon slices dill,butter on it. It was fantastic .sides of baked broccoli , lime coriander rice. What a great meal.
I SO appreciate the do’s and don’t’s ! It helped me out a lot!!! I’ve made salmon many times, but this is the best tutorial to help me make it taste better. I tried the garlic butter marinade and made it for my parents, husband, kids and I. It is the only way I’ll make it now! My parents said that it was the best marinaded salmon they’ve had in years. My husband is allergic to salmon so I got fresh cod for him and it tastes great on cod too for those of you who have allergies.
I’m not a cook. My wife has Alzheimer’s so I’m forced into kitchen duty. This recipe and instruction was clear and easy to follow. i followed it to the letter and the result was perfect salmon that brought a big smile to her face.
I make salmon all the time on the grill with a wood plank. It was raining so I tried this salmon recipe. I used the better and garlic, honey. My kids said it was the best salmon I’ve made so far, I think the honey really added. This is way easier than dealing with a plank catching fire on the grill. I will definitely be making this again!!!
Hi — We really loved your recipe for the salmon using the Cajun seasoning. We did not have your suggested brand, but substituted what we usually use and it was absolutely delicious! We had two BBQ cut fillets, each about 1/2 lb., cooked them for 13 minutes and they were juicy and done to perfection. We’re going to try your other salmon recipes and are looking forward to another tasty meal. Thank you for all the great directions too — so easy to follow and implement!
I made lemon dill sauce for my salmon tonight and it turned out perfectly delicious. So easy too. Thank you for the step by step instructions. I’ll never be afraid to bake salmon again.
Hi Lauren do you know if I could use the convection bake setting to make this salmon?
I made the lemon dill one last night and we loved it. Some recipes we’ve tried and too lemony. This one was perfect. Will definitely do it again.
LOVE the incredibly helpful do’s and don’ts for cooking salmon. I’ve made salmon for years, but after reading these tips, I feel like my “salmon game” has improved greatly.
I made the garlic butter recipe and now it’s the only way I’m asked to season and bake my salmon. Absolutely fantastic!
I’m so happy to hear it was helpful for you! Thanks for your comment.
I’ll see how good this turns out here in about 29 minutes. Making this for the family, we love salmon and baking it is new to me. I usually pan fry them with a honey soy sauce glaze and then put on a bed of rice, then drizzle some more of the glaze over it again.
Will check back after dinner
I made the sheet pan version with a dash of dill and lemon. (Hubby doesn’t like either, so don’t tell.) It came out perfect! I normally pan fry it, but baking left it more moist. Delicious. I highly recommend.
We tried the Lemon Dill seasoning tonight and it was terrific!! I will be trying the Garlic Butter in the future! Thank you so much for all the tips on how to make our salmon turn out so well (I had never let my salmon come to room temperature before).
Great step-by-step tutorial!
I did not use the full, in fact I only used lemon, garlic, parsley, lemon pepper, salt and pepper. Served with would rice, blanched broccoli, and roasted parmesan and garlic potatoes. The entire meal…delectable! I would add a photo if i had the option. Thanks for sharing!